Annual Report 2011
The state of the world's human rights

Regional News

from Middle east and north africa

18 January 2013

Ali Naderi put to death for a crime he allegedly committed while 17 years old.

18 January 2013

Jordanian Prime Minister says his country would not allow flow of refugees into its territory if President al-Assad’s government falls.

15 January 2013

Six jailed reformists in Saudi Arabia must be released immediately and unconditionally after they were offered a royal “pardon” on the condition they sign pledges renouncing their public activism.

14 January 2013

The UN Security Council must immediately refer the situation in Syria to the Prosecutor of the ICC in line with a request made this morning by dozens of UN member states

10 January 2013

International conference on Syria transition urged to prioritize rights of minority groups like Alawites, who are facing increasing risk of rights abuses.

09 January 2013

A Sri Lankan domestic worker has been beheaded in Saudi Arabia for a crime she allegedly committed while still a child.

08 January 2013

At least 11 women are still believed to be in detention in Saudi Arabia after being detained at a protest on 5 January.

08 January 2013

A young Sri Lankan woman is at imminent risk of execution in Saudi Arabia for a crime she allegedly committed whilst under the age of 18.

07 January 2013

An Egyptian freelance journalist facing an unfair military trial after he was arrested while covering a story in the North Sinai region must be released, urges Amnesty International.

07 January 2013

A former Saudi Arabian diplomat is at grave risk of being detained and tortured or otherwise ill-treated if Qatari authorities follow through with plans to return him forcibly to Saudi Arabia.

07 January 2013

A military appeal court in Tunisia has upheld the conviction on defamation charges of a former presidential adviser and handed him an even harsher punishment.

04 January 2013

Taher Belabès faces 'incitement' charges after a youth unemployment protest in the southern oil town of Ouargla.

24 December 2012

An online activist in Saudi Arabia faces the death penalty over apostasy charges in a trial being used to stifle political and social debate.

19 December 2012

The detention of a 16-year-old Bahraini boy in an adult prison has been extended for a further week despite the Bahraini authorities’ failure to bring any charges against him.

18 December 2012

Twenty-eight people are at imminent risk of execution after their death sentences were ratified yesterday.

13 December 2012

Instead of delivering justice and an impartial investigation into a blogger's death in custody, Iranian authorities have been intimidating his family members.

12 December 2012

An Egyptian activist has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of “defamation of religion”.

11 December 2012

Bahrain urged to release a prominent human rights defender whose conviction for involvement in anti-government protests has been upheld.

06 December 2012

Dozens of student activists kept behind bars in Iran, some since 2009, must be freed immediately and unconditionally to mark National Student Day. 

06 December 2012

An Omani appeals court has upheld convictions against five men and a woman in what Amnesty International said is part of an ongoing assault on freedom of expression.

World Regions Asia PacificMidde East and North AfricaAmericasEurope and Central AsiaAfrica
A draft law that includes new press-related crimes and exorbitant...
Forced evictions in Haiti are worsening the already desperate...
In Sri Lanka, a climate of intolerance and fear continues to sweep...
A Turkish reform bill passed into law today fails to meet the...
Four founding members of a nascent human rights group in Saudi Arabia...